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The Horse God Built
He was the perfect horse, it was said . . . "the horse God built."
Most of us know the legend of Secretariat, the tall, handsome chestnut racehorse whose string of honors runs long and rich: the only two-year-old ever to win Horse of the Year, in 1972; winner in 1973 of the Triple Crown, his times in all three races still unsurpassed; featured on the cover of Time, Newsweek, and Sports Illustrated; the only horse listed on ESPN's top fifty athletes of the twentieth century (ahead of Mickey Mantle). His final race at Toronto's Woodbine Racetrack is a touchstone memory for horse lovers everywhere. Yet while Secretariat will be remembered forever, one man, Eddie "Shorty" Sweat, who was pivotal to the great horse's success, has been all but forgotten---until now.
In The Horse God Built, bestselling equestrian writer Lawrence Scanlan has written a tribute to an exceptional man that is also a backroads journey to a corner of the racing world rarely visited. As a young black man growing up in South Carolina, Eddie Sweat struggled at several occupations before settling on the job he was born for---groom to North America's finest racehorses. As Secretariat's groom, loyal friend, and protector, Eddie understood the horse far better than anyone else. A wildly generous man who could read a horse with his eyes, he shared in little of the financial success or glamour of Secretariat's wins on the track, but won the heart of Big Red with his soft words and relentless devotion.
In Scanlan's rich narrative, we get a groom's-eye view of the racing world and the vantage of a man who spent every possible moment with the horse he loved, yet who often basked in the horse's glory from the sidelines. More than anything else, The Horse God Built is a moving portrait of the powerful bond between human and horse.
Most of us know the legend of Secretariat, the tall, handsome chestnut racehorse whose string of honors runs long and rich: the only two-year-old ever to win Horse of the Year, in 1972; winner in 1973 of the Triple Crown, his times in all three races still unsurpassed; featured on the cover of Time, Newsweek, and Sports Illustrated; the only horse listed on ESPN's top fifty athletes of the twentieth century (ahead of Mickey Mantle). His final race at Toronto's Woodbine Racetrack is a touchstone memory for horse lovers everywhere. Yet while Secretariat will be remembered forever, one man, Eddie "Shorty" Sweat, who was pivotal to the great horse's success, has been all but forgotten---until now.
In The Horse God Built, bestselling equestrian writer Lawrence Scanlan has written a tribute to an exceptional man that is also a backroads journey to a corner of the racing world rarely visited. As a young black man growing up in South Carolina, Eddie Sweat struggled at several occupations before settling on the job he was born for---groom to North America's finest racehorses. As Secretariat's groom, loyal friend, and protector, Eddie understood the horse far better than anyone else. A wildly generous man who could read a horse with his eyes, he shared in little of the financial success or glamour of Secretariat's wins on the track, but won the heart of Big Red with his soft words and relentless devotion.
In Scanlan's rich narrative, we get a groom's-eye view of the racing world and the vantage of a man who spent every possible moment with the horse he loved, yet who often basked in the horse's glory from the sidelines. More than anything else, The Horse God Built is a moving portrait of the powerful bond between human and horse.
335 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2006
464 people are currently reading
5116 people want to read
About the author
Lawrence Scanlan
29 books22 followersFrom Macmillan Books:
Lawrence Scanlan is the author of six bestselling books, including Wild About Horses and Little Horse of Iron. He is the coauthor, with Ian Millar, of Riding High, and has written three books for younger readers: Big Ben, Horses Forever, and The Horse’s Shadow. Scanlan worked closely with Monty Roberts on his acclaimed book The Man Who Listens to Horses. Winner of three Canadian National Magazine Awards for his journalism, Scanlan lives in Kingston, Ontario.
Lawrence Scanlan is the author of six bestselling books, including Wild About Horses and Little Horse of Iron. He is the coauthor, with Ian Millar, of Riding High, and has written three books for younger readers: Big Ben, Horses Forever, and The Horse’s Shadow. Scanlan worked closely with Monty Roberts on his acclaimed book The Man Who Listens to Horses. Winner of three Canadian National Magazine Awards for his journalism, Scanlan lives in Kingston, Ontario.
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 185 reviews
December 23, 2024
Too pretty? That’s been said of Secretariat, a big and tall chestnut thoroughbred racing horse also known as, “Big Red.” But “pretty is as pretty does” and Secretariat fulfilled all expectations: Big Red was the only two-year-old ever to win Horse of the Year; and was winner in 1973 of the Triple Crown. Fifty years have gone by and his times in all three races are still unsurpassed.
This book is a deep dive into thoroughbred racing in the USA. It has plenty of focus on Secretariat, but that isn’t all. If you just want to know about this remarkable horse, try this book: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Scanlan notes early on:"my instincts as I researched my book were pointing me toward the backstretch. I was interested, of course, in Secretariat’s owner and trainer and jockey, but it was the so-called bottom echelon of Secretariat’s circle that now called to me. Eddie Sweat, his bond with that horse, how Eddie saw the horse, and, as best I could determine, how the horse viewed Eddie: That’s what I wanted to explore."
Yes, it is “the backstretch,” the residence for “horse care workers” that gains Scanlan’s early focus. The backstretch is also known as “shed row.” And, most of those who work around the horses live there. Conditions have been subject to legal action by the Department of Justice for not meeting minimum standards of accommodation and cleanliness. One bathroom for over 100 residents….come on! Yet this is accepted by most who work there. Even in his criticism Scanlan notes that such accommodations may be preferable to others such as: a dumpy motel or homeless shelter or jail.
The war in Southeast Asia; corruption of the Vice President; the Watergate scandal and much more had created a national malaise. "George Plimpton called Secretariat “the only honest thing in the country at the time. . . . Where the public so often looks for the metaphor of simple, uncomplicated excellence, the big red horse has come along and provided it, and made the air seem a little cleaner and nicer to breathe.”"
Lawrence Scanlan is both an excellent storyteller and a very knowledgeable author of books on horses. This book does cast a wide net, from the way the world was at the time Secretariat was racing, to the way this horse was honored and remembered during the succeeding decades. A very satisfying read!
Here are some additional aspects to which the author devotes his focus:
On evaluating this horse’s potential: "Hatton was among the first to recognize Secretariat’s potential greatness. The “dean of American racing writers” loved his coloration—“a scarlet colt, star and narrow stripe, and three white stockings . . . He looked to be coming up the stretch with flags flying.” Hatton loved, too, how Secretariat won so many of his races with come-from-behind surges: “He swooped down on his hapless foes with a paralyzing burst, like a hawk scattering a barnyard of chickens, and pandemonium rocked the stands.” Hatton had clearly been watching the horse carefully, and he even spotted what he took to be minor flaws—the neck a little too straight and heavy, the knees not set perfectly. But he loved the way this horse moved (“his extended action had floating power”), he loved his conformation (the particular way his body parts were assembled and conformed to the ideal), he loved the horse’s legs (“simply perfection”). Hatton would die in 1975, and maybe he realized as he scrutinized Secretariat that day at Belmont that this was the horse he had waited all his life to see. Secretariat is, wrote Hatton, “the most capable horse we ever saw..."
On the qualities and significance of the horses’ grooms: "The best arrived at the track as young but fully fledged horsemen, and they worked for the same stable until they dropped. They would notice if the horse ate or drank less, quicker or slower, if the horse was lying down more, any change in the color, amount, smell, or frequency of the horse’s urine or feces. Today, Veitch said, many grooms are Hispanic and they don’t possess enough command of English to report such subtleties to the trainer— even assuming their skill. (On the other hand, many California trainers today swear by their Mexican grooms.)"
On how horses are treated after their “productive” years: When Scanlan was writing this book he noted that about 10,000 Thoroughbred horses were yearly sent to the slaughterhouse. The total number of horses for the USA has been between 50,000 and 90,000 a year. He describes ways that this could be reduced.
"The Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation, one of several organizations that tries to accommodate retired racehorses, endeavors to place about eight hundred horses every year. It’s a goodly number, but consider that some nine thousand Thoroughbred racehorses are sent to slaughter every year in the United States (the total number of horses killed for meat annually is eighty thousand, with twenty thousand of that number shipped north of the border)."
This book is a deep dive into thoroughbred racing in the USA. It has plenty of focus on Secretariat, but that isn’t all. If you just want to know about this remarkable horse, try this book: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Scanlan notes early on:"my instincts as I researched my book were pointing me toward the backstretch. I was interested, of course, in Secretariat’s owner and trainer and jockey, but it was the so-called bottom echelon of Secretariat’s circle that now called to me. Eddie Sweat, his bond with that horse, how Eddie saw the horse, and, as best I could determine, how the horse viewed Eddie: That’s what I wanted to explore."
Yes, it is “the backstretch,” the residence for “horse care workers” that gains Scanlan’s early focus. The backstretch is also known as “shed row.” And, most of those who work around the horses live there. Conditions have been subject to legal action by the Department of Justice for not meeting minimum standards of accommodation and cleanliness. One bathroom for over 100 residents….come on! Yet this is accepted by most who work there. Even in his criticism Scanlan notes that such accommodations may be preferable to others such as: a dumpy motel or homeless shelter or jail.
The war in Southeast Asia; corruption of the Vice President; the Watergate scandal and much more had created a national malaise. "George Plimpton called Secretariat “the only honest thing in the country at the time. . . . Where the public so often looks for the metaphor of simple, uncomplicated excellence, the big red horse has come along and provided it, and made the air seem a little cleaner and nicer to breathe.”"
Lawrence Scanlan is both an excellent storyteller and a very knowledgeable author of books on horses. This book does cast a wide net, from the way the world was at the time Secretariat was racing, to the way this horse was honored and remembered during the succeeding decades. A very satisfying read!
Here are some additional aspects to which the author devotes his focus:
On evaluating this horse’s potential: "Hatton was among the first to recognize Secretariat’s potential greatness. The “dean of American racing writers” loved his coloration—“a scarlet colt, star and narrow stripe, and three white stockings . . . He looked to be coming up the stretch with flags flying.” Hatton loved, too, how Secretariat won so many of his races with come-from-behind surges: “He swooped down on his hapless foes with a paralyzing burst, like a hawk scattering a barnyard of chickens, and pandemonium rocked the stands.” Hatton had clearly been watching the horse carefully, and he even spotted what he took to be minor flaws—the neck a little too straight and heavy, the knees not set perfectly. But he loved the way this horse moved (“his extended action had floating power”), he loved his conformation (the particular way his body parts were assembled and conformed to the ideal), he loved the horse’s legs (“simply perfection”). Hatton would die in 1975, and maybe he realized as he scrutinized Secretariat that day at Belmont that this was the horse he had waited all his life to see. Secretariat is, wrote Hatton, “the most capable horse we ever saw..."
On the qualities and significance of the horses’ grooms: "The best arrived at the track as young but fully fledged horsemen, and they worked for the same stable until they dropped. They would notice if the horse ate or drank less, quicker or slower, if the horse was lying down more, any change in the color, amount, smell, or frequency of the horse’s urine or feces. Today, Veitch said, many grooms are Hispanic and they don’t possess enough command of English to report such subtleties to the trainer— even assuming their skill. (On the other hand, many California trainers today swear by their Mexican grooms.)"
On how horses are treated after their “productive” years: When Scanlan was writing this book he noted that about 10,000 Thoroughbred horses were yearly sent to the slaughterhouse. The total number of horses for the USA has been between 50,000 and 90,000 a year. He describes ways that this could be reduced.
"The Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation, one of several organizations that tries to accommodate retired racehorses, endeavors to place about eight hundred horses every year. It’s a goodly number, but consider that some nine thousand Thoroughbred racehorses are sent to slaughter every year in the United States (the total number of horses killed for meat annually is eighty thousand, with twenty thousand of that number shipped north of the border)."
March 5, 2017
Confession: Secretariat was and is a passion. I suppose one had to be to-the-bone horse mad from birth, and live in that particular time, with high crimes and misdemeanors in the White House, the morass in Vietnam ending as one might expect...and along came a superb, gorgeous horse who did everything he was asked better than any other horse ever had with panache.
This book, while it shares that passion (see the subtitle, World's Greatest Racehorse, which spurs the questions, Man O' War? Eclipse? Red Rum?)... but it's not really so much a bio of Big Red from Meadow Stables as it is of his devoted groom, the unsung, underpaid, undervalued anchor of the famous team that won the Triple Crown in record-setting times (that still hold up so many years after). His story, and the story of the real world of horse racing (not what happens on the track but what happens in the barns) is illuminating, wrenching, and deeply human.
This book, while it shares that passion (see the subtitle, World's Greatest Racehorse, which spurs the questions, Man O' War? Eclipse? Red Rum?)... but it's not really so much a bio of Big Red from Meadow Stables as it is of his devoted groom, the unsung, underpaid, undervalued anchor of the famous team that won the Triple Crown in record-setting times (that still hold up so many years after). His story, and the story of the real world of horse racing (not what happens on the track but what happens in the barns) is illuminating, wrenching, and deeply human.
February 9, 2024
So interesting!! I got this book as a birthday gift and I really liked it! It gave a super unique view on horse racing and the impacts grooms have on their horses! Def recommend for horse lovers!!!
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Pages: 314
Language/TW: 4/10 (some language/content)
Format I read: Paperback
Genre: Non-fiction
Would I recommend to others: Yes!
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Pages: 314
Language/TW: 4/10 (some language/content)
Format I read: Paperback
Genre: Non-fiction
Would I recommend to others: Yes!
June 9, 2024
Audible Plus 9 hours 34 min. Narrated by Joe Barrett (B)
I experienced my first heartbreak when I read BLACK BEAUTY by Anna Sewell in elementary school in the 50s. I told myself then that horses needed owners who loved them. Secretariat was such a horse, but he inspired so much love in the men who were closest to him that they became obsessed with Big Red. This is a powerful story of the relationship between the triple-crown winner Secretariat and his groom, Eddie "Shorty" Sparks. Dirt poor, one of eleven children, Eddie was the son of a black woman and a father who was part Cherokee, part black, and part white who had an affinity for horses. Growing up in the Jim Crow era in South Carolina, Eddie quit school to work for the horse farm, whose owner purchased the colt Secretariat. Eddie eventually became the race horse's personal groom, which meant 24 -7 responsibility for all the horses needs, water, food, dental, hoof, bathing, brushing, rubbing, and emotional support. Eddie did it all with pride and love for the horse. As the author Scanlon takes the reader along on his journey to learn about Eddie's life, we learn that Eddie's work was not rewarded. This book is interesting as Scanlon documents the detailed research it requires to write such a book. He loves his own horse, has written many previous books about horses, and had bitten by the Secretariat fever that hit America in the middle of the Watergate Scandal and Vietnam. I was bitten, too!
The message of this book shows the great divide between the "haves" who own race horses and the "have-nots" the men and women who have the actual daily care for these magnificent animals. I learned about Charlie Davis, the exerciser for Secretariat and close friend of Eddie's. When the horse traveled, the men traveled with him and stayed with Big Red in the hold of the plane. Because of segregation, they didn't sleep in hotels or eat in restaurants. They traveled with a hot-burner to cook beans, rice, and maybe a burger. They slept with the horses for security reasons; always alert less someone feed the animal anything that could get the horse disqualified. Eddie continued to work for the race family until his health failed-- Leukemia, asthma, open-heart surgery with no medical insurance left his family destitute after his death. No one from Secretariat's owner's horse farm even showed up to Eddie's funeral.
This book is a sad indictment of horse racing that the author points out has gone from bad to worse.
To end this review on a positive note, I encourage anyone who reads this to Google "Secretariat Belmont" and watch the breathtaking race that secured Secretariat's win for the triple-crown in 1973. After Secretariat died, an autopsy revealed the secret power inside "The HorseThat God Built." His heart was more than twice the size of most race horses!
I experienced my first heartbreak when I read BLACK BEAUTY by Anna Sewell in elementary school in the 50s. I told myself then that horses needed owners who loved them. Secretariat was such a horse, but he inspired so much love in the men who were closest to him that they became obsessed with Big Red. This is a powerful story of the relationship between the triple-crown winner Secretariat and his groom, Eddie "Shorty" Sparks. Dirt poor, one of eleven children, Eddie was the son of a black woman and a father who was part Cherokee, part black, and part white who had an affinity for horses. Growing up in the Jim Crow era in South Carolina, Eddie quit school to work for the horse farm, whose owner purchased the colt Secretariat. Eddie eventually became the race horse's personal groom, which meant 24 -7 responsibility for all the horses needs, water, food, dental, hoof, bathing, brushing, rubbing, and emotional support. Eddie did it all with pride and love for the horse. As the author Scanlon takes the reader along on his journey to learn about Eddie's life, we learn that Eddie's work was not rewarded. This book is interesting as Scanlon documents the detailed research it requires to write such a book. He loves his own horse, has written many previous books about horses, and had bitten by the Secretariat fever that hit America in the middle of the Watergate Scandal and Vietnam. I was bitten, too!
The message of this book shows the great divide between the "haves" who own race horses and the "have-nots" the men and women who have the actual daily care for these magnificent animals. I learned about Charlie Davis, the exerciser for Secretariat and close friend of Eddie's. When the horse traveled, the men traveled with him and stayed with Big Red in the hold of the plane. Because of segregation, they didn't sleep in hotels or eat in restaurants. They traveled with a hot-burner to cook beans, rice, and maybe a burger. They slept with the horses for security reasons; always alert less someone feed the animal anything that could get the horse disqualified. Eddie continued to work for the race family until his health failed-- Leukemia, asthma, open-heart surgery with no medical insurance left his family destitute after his death. No one from Secretariat's owner's horse farm even showed up to Eddie's funeral.
This book is a sad indictment of horse racing that the author points out has gone from bad to worse.
To end this review on a positive note, I encourage anyone who reads this to Google "Secretariat Belmont" and watch the breathtaking race that secured Secretariat's win for the triple-crown in 1973. After Secretariat died, an autopsy revealed the secret power inside "The HorseThat God Built." His heart was more than twice the size of most race horses!
May 21, 2015
I remember watching Secretariat race during his triple crown races and marveling at his speed and greatness, but this is the first book I have read about his uniqueness. I am especially interested in horses, so this book was of special interest to me, but I believe that it would be so even if you do not have this special interest in the horse.
This is a love story of sorts between a Great Horse and a Great Groom. Eddie Sweat respected and loved Secretariat so much that I'm sure he was a huge part of the winning combination that brought us the greatness we witnessed in 1973. This is also a sad story about the way everyone (except the owners and trainers) in the racing field are pretty much treated with disdain and disrespect – even the horses, unless they are winning.
Scanlan speaks about the ability of communication; how a study done by the University of Pennsylvania found that "98% of pet owners talk to their animals as if to a sympathetic friend.” (...how many listen to their animals, as Eddie Sweat listened to Secretariat ~ listened with his ears, his heart, listened in his bones. And in doing so, "A great horse passed thru him.”
Another sad situation was not only Secretariat's passing, but also, how Eddie was not able to remain with him after his racing days were over. He loved Secretariat and Secretariat loved him. The decision to separate them I do not understand.
This is a love story of sorts between a Great Horse and a Great Groom. Eddie Sweat respected and loved Secretariat so much that I'm sure he was a huge part of the winning combination that brought us the greatness we witnessed in 1973. This is also a sad story about the way everyone (except the owners and trainers) in the racing field are pretty much treated with disdain and disrespect – even the horses, unless they are winning.
Scanlan speaks about the ability of communication; how a study done by the University of Pennsylvania found that "98% of pet owners talk to their animals as if to a sympathetic friend.” (...how many listen to their animals, as Eddie Sweat listened to Secretariat ~ listened with his ears, his heart, listened in his bones. And in doing so, "A great horse passed thru him.”
Another sad situation was not only Secretariat's passing, but also, how Eddie was not able to remain with him after his racing days were over. He loved Secretariat and Secretariat loved him. The decision to separate them I do not understand.
January 15, 2009
Raymond Woolfe has written the definitive book on Secretariat, but Scanlan uncovers the untold side of the great horse's story with his examination of his relationship with his groom, Eddie "Shorty" Sweat. (The key is not to let the book's title mislead you; the phrase "The horse God built" is used in the book as a description of the horse, that's all.)
Though a bit scattered and jerky at times in its narrative, Scanlan writes with such feeling that it's easy to forgive him for not being Laura Hillenbrand (author of "Seabiscuit" - an amazing read for its historical value alone). By documenting firsthand accounts of Secretariat and Eddie Sweat (both long dead), Scanlan preserves a significant chunk of American history for us in clear, detailed journalistic fashion and for that, I thank him.
Though a bit scattered and jerky at times in its narrative, Scanlan writes with such feeling that it's easy to forgive him for not being Laura Hillenbrand (author of "Seabiscuit" - an amazing read for its historical value alone). By documenting firsthand accounts of Secretariat and Eddie Sweat (both long dead), Scanlan preserves a significant chunk of American history for us in clear, detailed journalistic fashion and for that, I thank him.
August 14, 2019
In reading this book I had the melancholy feeling that it could have been so much better than it was had it been shortened in two ways--less about the author's own meandering search to understand Secretariat better, and less political grandstanding about Eddie Sweat. This book is a case where more is definitely less, where the author's desire to get political about the way that grooms and other low-level workers with horses are economically exploited in the face of austerity within the business of horse racing as a whole gets in the way of him telling a compelling story about a successful horse. The author seems to believe mistakenly that most people know the legend about Secretariat in the first place, when many people who are casual fans of horse racing (which I would consider myself) know only that he won the Triple Crown in 1973 and was one of the best horses ever in American history. And this book does not really go into the heart of what made him a great horse, as the author is more content to engage in self-referential naval gazing about his own bad navigation and the contemporary state of horse racing while miring this book in downbeat political grandstanding.
This book of more than 300 pages has nine chapters and several other various interludes, but in terms of its structure it is a mess. The book begins with a look at a horse and his groom, then discusses the black groom some more (1). After that there is more ranting about the injustice done to various minority grooms who live in third-world conditions (2) like other agricultural labor. Then there is a discussion about Secretariat's breeding and life on the farm (3) before there is more discussion about the groom (4). This leads to a discussion of Secretariat's racing career (5) as well as a discussion of those who enjoyed traveling to see him after he stopped racing because of his celebrity horse status (6). Then the author returns to discussing the groom and the circumstances of his retirement and death (7) before looking at the author's own pilgrimage to various places related to Secretariat (8) as well as a eulogy for a horse (9). Interspersed with these chapters are various shorter discussions of various matters related to horse racing in general or Secretariat and his place in history in particular, after which the book closes with an epilogue that praises the bond between man and horse as well as acknowledgements, sources, and an index.
In looking at the history of Secretariat, this book could have been so much better if the author would have realized that writing about an amazing horse who captured the imagination and gained the support of many millions and who had a wonderful legacy in the lives of other winning horses that came after him in his bloodline was so much better than ranting about supposed mistreatment and neglect of one Eddie Sweat, who appears to have been a poor steward of his wealth and possibly someone who drank or gambled away his money and certainly gave it unwisely to various fairweather friends and parasitic relatives until he died destitute himself. Leave it to a writer to market a book as an untold story and include little in it but politically correct whining that blames racism and the cruelties of capitalism for the suffering of people who choose to live and work with horses and who appear to do a terrible job at handling what money they do make when they are able to work with amazing horses like Secretariat.
This book of more than 300 pages has nine chapters and several other various interludes, but in terms of its structure it is a mess. The book begins with a look at a horse and his groom, then discusses the black groom some more (1). After that there is more ranting about the injustice done to various minority grooms who live in third-world conditions (2) like other agricultural labor. Then there is a discussion about Secretariat's breeding and life on the farm (3) before there is more discussion about the groom (4). This leads to a discussion of Secretariat's racing career (5) as well as a discussion of those who enjoyed traveling to see him after he stopped racing because of his celebrity horse status (6). Then the author returns to discussing the groom and the circumstances of his retirement and death (7) before looking at the author's own pilgrimage to various places related to Secretariat (8) as well as a eulogy for a horse (9). Interspersed with these chapters are various shorter discussions of various matters related to horse racing in general or Secretariat and his place in history in particular, after which the book closes with an epilogue that praises the bond between man and horse as well as acknowledgements, sources, and an index.
In looking at the history of Secretariat, this book could have been so much better if the author would have realized that writing about an amazing horse who captured the imagination and gained the support of many millions and who had a wonderful legacy in the lives of other winning horses that came after him in his bloodline was so much better than ranting about supposed mistreatment and neglect of one Eddie Sweat, who appears to have been a poor steward of his wealth and possibly someone who drank or gambled away his money and certainly gave it unwisely to various fairweather friends and parasitic relatives until he died destitute himself. Leave it to a writer to market a book as an untold story and include little in it but politically correct whining that blames racism and the cruelties of capitalism for the suffering of people who choose to live and work with horses and who appear to do a terrible job at handling what money they do make when they are able to work with amazing horses like Secretariat.
December 25, 2020
The book did have me in tears by the end. Phrases are well-turned, and the research is impeccable.
What drove me completely nuts and what made the book a slow read is that it's organized thematically rather than chronologically. You have characters dying half a dozen times, Secretariat is born nearly a dozen times, and so forth. It's really hard to keep the timeline straight.
Still, if you are a horselover and a fan of racing, this book is a good read.
What drove me completely nuts and what made the book a slow read is that it's organized thematically rather than chronologically. You have characters dying half a dozen times, Secretariat is born nearly a dozen times, and so forth. It's really hard to keep the timeline straight.
Still, if you are a horselover and a fan of racing, this book is a good read.
July 17, 2008
This book is about an unusual side of horse racing, the relationship between the horse and the groom. Secretariat won the 1973 Triple Crown (Kentucky Derby, Preakness, and Belmont Stakes). Many books have been written about him, about his breeder, his owner, his jockey, and his amazing racing career. But nothing has ever been written about Eddie Sweat, Secretariat's groom. Eddie Sweat loved, nurtured, fed, bathed, protected, and nursed Secretariat. It is an interesting question to ask, "how much of Secretariat's success was due to the extraordinary care he got from Eddie Sweat?". No doubt much more than he got credit for.
I would recommend this book to anyone who loves horses, and who is interested in the special relationship a horse and a man can develop.
I would recommend this book to anyone who loves horses, and who is interested in the special relationship a horse and a man can develop.
May 4, 2010
I bought this book a year ago, and only after the Kentucky Derby did I decide it was time to pick it up. I'm a huge Thoroughbred racing enthusiast, and after such a great Derby I figured I should read about arguably the greatest racehorse of all time.
I really loved this book. It wasn't Seabiscuit by any means, but I learned a lot about Secretariat and his groom Eddie Sweat. You so rarely think about the grooms and their contribution to the sport, but they're so important. I thought this was a touching tribute to grooms everywhere.
Even though not all the anecdotes in this book were about Secretariat, I really enjoyed seeing a side of racing portrayed that isn't often put into the light.
I really loved this book. It wasn't Seabiscuit by any means, but I learned a lot about Secretariat and his groom Eddie Sweat. You so rarely think about the grooms and their contribution to the sport, but they're so important. I thought this was a touching tribute to grooms everywhere.
Even though not all the anecdotes in this book were about Secretariat, I really enjoyed seeing a side of racing portrayed that isn't often put into the light.
October 23, 2019
If you love horses you will find some common ground, but the author seems to have trouble deciding if this is fiction or non, if it's a love story about horses or an indictment of the stratified horse breeding/racing system, or if it's a random collection of incidents and recollections. Secretariat (the supposed subject of the book) just floats in and out of the narrative. I would have preferred him to pick one or two directions to follow.
May 5, 2025
I started this book hoping it would be close to as good as SEABISCUIT, which is one of my 25 all-time favorite books. Sadly, it is not the same caliber of research and writing, but it does include a lot of interesting social history. The book gave me important things to think about, especially about finding opportunities for acts of service or kindness to one another. Recommended to anyone who has dearly loved an animal with 4 🌟 stars.
September 24, 2024
I picked this up in 2010 after seeing the movie Secretariat with Diane Lane. Scanlan does a wonderful job of introducing us to Secretariat, but also to the world of horseracing. Here is a link for Secretariat winning the triple crown on youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kf8GR...
December 8, 2024
This was a great listen about the horse that God build, Secretariat, Eddie Sweat (Secretariat's groomer), and the behind the scenes of horse racing. The horse was the first Triple Crown winner in 25 years and was the Michael Jordan of racing. The author goes into the details of horses life. He also goes into great depth about Eddie Sweat, a very generous man to friends and family and loyal friend and protector of Secretariat. Unfortunately Eddie Sweat was not able to capitalize financially as many of the other people (trainers, jockeys, etc.). The book was very educational about horse racing.
August 19, 2014
For something I was expecting to be an easy-read and palate cleanser (yes, I’m moping over Outlander), this book was surprisingly complex and interesting.
Horse racing doesn’t sit right with me. To me, the sport screams horse-as-machine; it goes fast when we jump in the saddle, goes faster still when we throttle toward the finish line, and suffers in silence as its health and well-being become dismissed as non-issues in the eyes of the consumer (owner, trainer, jockey, etc.). Shattered bone? Colic? Laminitis? Might as well be engine failure or a broken alternator. If it can’t continue running, just trade the bugger it in. The only thing missing is a lifetime warranty!
I’m a cynic, yes, but am I wrong? Am I the only one disgusted by this?
There are two sides to every story, though. Duly noted. The more compassionate side of racing (yes, apparently it does exist) should be known and understood as well as its cruel counterpart. Which is why I liked this book.
Scanlon does a phenomenal job exploring, understanding, and documenting both sides of horse racing. One side of racing shows us unfathomable cruelty, human selfishness, unbridled ego, racism, classism, and greed. Did I mention all seven deadly sins? Because I meant to. They’re all there, I’m sure. And animal cruelty should be listed as an eighth deadly sin.
BUT.
Apparently this horse racing beast has a soft(er) underbelly. Frequently out of sight, behind the curtains, in “the backstretch,” as they say, are genuine human beings connecting with living, breathing, beautifully honest animals.
And this incredible book highlights the groom, the hardest and least appreciated team member who is forced to hang on for dear life to the lowest rung of the horse racing ladder. The camera rarely strays from the winner’s circle to the stables where the real work (and the real compassion) gets done, day in and day out, and day in again.
There are other reasons, I think, particularly when Secretariat was running in the 70’s, that made integration between the haves and the have nots (race & class) an almost impossible political feat. During this time, owners, trainers, jockeys were rich and white. Grooms and other lower-rung workers, however, were (with few exceptions) black and poor as all get out.
Interesting that today the situation hasn't changed much. Only one small change, really. The owners, trainers, jockeys are still white, but the grooms are, with few exceptions, poor white women and poor hispanics.
[INSERT ASTUTE POLITICAL DECONSTRUCTION AND ANALYSIS OF INTERSECTIONS BETWEEN RACE, GENDER, CLASS, POWER, AND PRIVILEGE HERE]
I’ll spare you my own deconstruction, but I’m serious when I say check in with yourself here. Who does horse racing benefit? Who works hardest? Who gets respect and reward, and why? How is life (human and horse) treated? What are the values of the sport?
And finally, do these values mirror your own?
Chew on that, nerdy book friends, feminists, and fellow horse lovers! This book, apparently, hits a hot topic for everyone!
Horse racing doesn’t sit right with me. To me, the sport screams horse-as-machine; it goes fast when we jump in the saddle, goes faster still when we throttle toward the finish line, and suffers in silence as its health and well-being become dismissed as non-issues in the eyes of the consumer (owner, trainer, jockey, etc.). Shattered bone? Colic? Laminitis? Might as well be engine failure or a broken alternator. If it can’t continue running, just trade the bugger it in. The only thing missing is a lifetime warranty!
I’m a cynic, yes, but am I wrong? Am I the only one disgusted by this?
There are two sides to every story, though. Duly noted. The more compassionate side of racing (yes, apparently it does exist) should be known and understood as well as its cruel counterpart. Which is why I liked this book.
Scanlon does a phenomenal job exploring, understanding, and documenting both sides of horse racing. One side of racing shows us unfathomable cruelty, human selfishness, unbridled ego, racism, classism, and greed. Did I mention all seven deadly sins? Because I meant to. They’re all there, I’m sure. And animal cruelty should be listed as an eighth deadly sin.
BUT.
Apparently this horse racing beast has a soft(er) underbelly. Frequently out of sight, behind the curtains, in “the backstretch,” as they say, are genuine human beings connecting with living, breathing, beautifully honest animals.
And this incredible book highlights the groom, the hardest and least appreciated team member who is forced to hang on for dear life to the lowest rung of the horse racing ladder. The camera rarely strays from the winner’s circle to the stables where the real work (and the real compassion) gets done, day in and day out, and day in again.
There are other reasons, I think, particularly when Secretariat was running in the 70’s, that made integration between the haves and the have nots (race & class) an almost impossible political feat. During this time, owners, trainers, jockeys were rich and white. Grooms and other lower-rung workers, however, were (with few exceptions) black and poor as all get out.
Interesting that today the situation hasn't changed much. Only one small change, really. The owners, trainers, jockeys are still white, but the grooms are, with few exceptions, poor white women and poor hispanics.
[INSERT ASTUTE POLITICAL DECONSTRUCTION AND ANALYSIS OF INTERSECTIONS BETWEEN RACE, GENDER, CLASS, POWER, AND PRIVILEGE HERE]
I’ll spare you my own deconstruction, but I’m serious when I say check in with yourself here. Who does horse racing benefit? Who works hardest? Who gets respect and reward, and why? How is life (human and horse) treated? What are the values of the sport?
And finally, do these values mirror your own?
Chew on that, nerdy book friends, feminists, and fellow horse lovers! This book, apparently, hits a hot topic for everyone!
July 4, 2007
So far, it's been OKAY. I'd rather read about the horse than about the groom. The two other racehorse books I read, Seabiscuit and Man O'War are excellent in comparison. I couldn't put them down. This one I can put down...but we'll see...the verdict is still out...
Just one day later and I've completed a 180. This book, once I stopped having expectations of it being a tale of Secretariat and stopped being disappointed at it not being a tale of Secretariat, opened my eyes to the author's purpose of the book, which is to tell the "Untold Story of Secretariat." This book is about the author's journey into the racing world, the light of the addictiveness, the grandeur of the track, and the relationships between humans and horse; and the dark of the non-recognition of grooms, their dedication and the squalor of their conditions, and the puppy-mill like thoroughbred breeding operations and the drugging of horses to dull their pain so they could run.
Despite the darkside, the dark stories of horses (like Ruffian) who break down on the track, and the controversy over racing horses on too hard surfaces, overworking them, breeding them for speed (rather than endurance), and starting them when they are too young, the race world is full of people that love horses, horses that love to run, and a public waiting for that next Secretariat or Man O'War.
The author's journey in writing this book resulted in a social commentary about the division between the haves and have nots, a comparison between a grooms relationship to the success of a horse (from Man O'War and Ruffian to Big Ben), and the only truth that results, that these great horses were legends and heroes to the public at the time and place they ruled the racetrack and for enduring fans in the present and future.
Just one day later and I've completed a 180. This book, once I stopped having expectations of it being a tale of Secretariat and stopped being disappointed at it not being a tale of Secretariat, opened my eyes to the author's purpose of the book, which is to tell the "Untold Story of Secretariat." This book is about the author's journey into the racing world, the light of the addictiveness, the grandeur of the track, and the relationships between humans and horse; and the dark of the non-recognition of grooms, their dedication and the squalor of their conditions, and the puppy-mill like thoroughbred breeding operations and the drugging of horses to dull their pain so they could run.
Despite the darkside, the dark stories of horses (like Ruffian) who break down on the track, and the controversy over racing horses on too hard surfaces, overworking them, breeding them for speed (rather than endurance), and starting them when they are too young, the race world is full of people that love horses, horses that love to run, and a public waiting for that next Secretariat or Man O'War.
The author's journey in writing this book resulted in a social commentary about the division between the haves and have nots, a comparison between a grooms relationship to the success of a horse (from Man O'War and Ruffian to Big Ben), and the only truth that results, that these great horses were legends and heroes to the public at the time and place they ruled the racetrack and for enduring fans in the present and future.
December 19, 2015
It's the 70's, we are still reeling from Vietnam and the scandals rocking Washington,and along comes a champion in the form of a big red horse, Secretariat. The only horse listed in ESPN's top fifty athletes of the twentieth century.
Stories had been written about the owners, jockeys and the horse himself. Scanlan sets out to write another book about the great horse but instead gets another thought as he learns of all those involved with Secretariat. He instead decides to tell the story of the one who knew him best of all his groomsman Eddie Sweat.
We learn of the great bond between the two and of the horses expectations of having Eddie close by and the routine that often was set by the horse instead of others. Eddie always but for one episode got nothing but the best from the big horse , who would do anything Eddie wanted. Eddie would just say love the horse and the horse would love you.
We learn of those who photographed, painted, measured his stride and all who wondered and marveled at the big red running machine. For in fact Secretariat looked forward and expected to run, this wasn't work but fun for him, even after all he had accomplished Eddie and others would say he was just coming into himself.
Even after his death the interest remains high for this truly one of a kind, memorials, and shrines, to those who try to keep the bloodline going, to once again recreate "The Horse that God Built"
This is a story for those who enjoy the racing and want the back story, for those who enjoy horse stories,and for those who remember fondly the bond they shared with that one special horse. It is a story of the great horse as well as all those who came into his life, of human character, and of coarse the bond between human and animal. Secretariat was truly one of a kind and none since have come close to the bug red horse, let's hope his story is always told and remembered.
Stories had been written about the owners, jockeys and the horse himself. Scanlan sets out to write another book about the great horse but instead gets another thought as he learns of all those involved with Secretariat. He instead decides to tell the story of the one who knew him best of all his groomsman Eddie Sweat.
We learn of the great bond between the two and of the horses expectations of having Eddie close by and the routine that often was set by the horse instead of others. Eddie always but for one episode got nothing but the best from the big horse , who would do anything Eddie wanted. Eddie would just say love the horse and the horse would love you.
We learn of those who photographed, painted, measured his stride and all who wondered and marveled at the big red running machine. For in fact Secretariat looked forward and expected to run, this wasn't work but fun for him, even after all he had accomplished Eddie and others would say he was just coming into himself.
Even after his death the interest remains high for this truly one of a kind, memorials, and shrines, to those who try to keep the bloodline going, to once again recreate "The Horse that God Built"
This is a story for those who enjoy the racing and want the back story, for those who enjoy horse stories,and for those who remember fondly the bond they shared with that one special horse. It is a story of the great horse as well as all those who came into his life, of human character, and of coarse the bond between human and animal. Secretariat was truly one of a kind and none since have come close to the bug red horse, let's hope his story is always told and remembered.
Read
June 25, 2007This book isn't really well written but I"m enjoying the story only because Secretariat is such an amazing animal.
I think only horse people would have interest in this one as it's not particularly well written.
I think only horse people would have interest in this one as it's not particularly well written.
February 5, 2024
It was a good book for the most part …. Those people reaaallllyyyy loved horses….
August 18, 2020
Many books have been written about the great Secretariat, a legend among racehorses, a creature many consider the best or second-best horse in the world. They say he had the Look of the Eagles. They say he was kind, but temperamental. Above all, they say he had a giant heart, one that never quit no matter his circumstance (upon his death it would be revealed that literally his heart was larger than most). He mostly won his races, which made his losses that much more stunning to his loyal followers. His story has been told countless times, and so in The Horse God Built the author approaches the saga of Secretariat from a different angle, that of his relationship to his groom, the legendary Eddie Sweat.
In trying to get to the bottom of the love between racehorse and groom, a position oft ignored by those who don't KNOW how important role this one person plays in the life of a horse athlete, the author interviews bystanders, acquaintances, and friends. He seeks to understand why the horse loved Eddie Sweat, and more importantly if this one horse truly left such an indelible mark on his groom that Sweat could never recapture that magic, and was never truly whole again. Scanlan wants to understand Sweat as well as he does Secretariat, and even more importantly to understand that bond between man and horse - what forged it, what became of it, and ultimately what impact it had on the rest of their lives, both man and horse.
Scanlan does a decent job of this, digging into the little moments that were witnessed by countless jockeys, trainers, exercise boys, other grooms, and even Eddie's own family members. He dissects pictures of Eddie and Secretariat, and then questions his findings to peel back all the layers of this complicated question. He crisscrosses the country in search of eye-witnesses, and he charms his way into many of these conversations by name dropping. The name? Not Penny Chenery or even Lucien Laurin, but Eddie Sweat. The grooms name opens many doors, and loosens many lips. The result is that the author lays bare the true worth of a groom and his or her deep connection to their charge. It's a fascinating portrait of a horse and his groom, and an interesting study in the bond that forms when an animal can completely trust a human.
In trying to get to the bottom of the love between racehorse and groom, a position oft ignored by those who don't KNOW how important role this one person plays in the life of a horse athlete, the author interviews bystanders, acquaintances, and friends. He seeks to understand why the horse loved Eddie Sweat, and more importantly if this one horse truly left such an indelible mark on his groom that Sweat could never recapture that magic, and was never truly whole again. Scanlan wants to understand Sweat as well as he does Secretariat, and even more importantly to understand that bond between man and horse - what forged it, what became of it, and ultimately what impact it had on the rest of their lives, both man and horse.
Scanlan does a decent job of this, digging into the little moments that were witnessed by countless jockeys, trainers, exercise boys, other grooms, and even Eddie's own family members. He dissects pictures of Eddie and Secretariat, and then questions his findings to peel back all the layers of this complicated question. He crisscrosses the country in search of eye-witnesses, and he charms his way into many of these conversations by name dropping. The name? Not Penny Chenery or even Lucien Laurin, but Eddie Sweat. The grooms name opens many doors, and loosens many lips. The result is that the author lays bare the true worth of a groom and his or her deep connection to their charge. It's a fascinating portrait of a horse and his groom, and an interesting study in the bond that forms when an animal can completely trust a human.
September 11, 2025
The Horse God Built is a nonfiction book written by Lawrence Scanlan and published in 2006. It takes place in the 1970s in rural Kentucky. The book follows Secretariat, the famous thoroughbred racing champion and his groom, Eddie Sweat. It begins with Secretariat, “Big Red”, being born on racehorse owner Penny Chenery’s farm. As Secretariat grows older, Eddie and him begin to grow closer and form a bond, a bond only achievable between horse and human. The book follows the ups and downs of Secretariat's racing career and how these things affected Eddie’s life. Being an African American groom, Eddie faced many hardships and challenges which the author focuses on. The story is impactful, educational, and covers themes such as racism and political debates in the 1970s.
The Horse God Built is a heartwarming coming of ages that shows the impactful bond between a horse and their groom. Scanlan is successfully able to depict this bond and make you feel like you are right there with Eddie and Secretariat. It is incredible how a book can make someone feel like they are on the side of the racetrack at Churchill Downs with Eddie cheering Secretariat on screaming “Come on Brig Red!!!” at the top of their lungs. While Scanlan is very successful with immersing the reader into the story, he spends too much time discussing small irrelevant details. Some chapters felt like they were dragged on and I was never going to get to the last page. One chapter itself just discussed the details of every single person who attended a horse racing banquet that Eddie Sweat also attended. These characters were never seen or mentioned again and had no significance to the plot. Sometimes it even felt like the story of Secretariat was lost while Scanlan tried to focus on the political and racial hardships Eddie faced. These hardships are important and add depth to the book but it felt like Scanlan was focused more on portraying his opinions on these topics instead of following the story of Secretariat’s success. Overall, The Horse God Built is a book that captures the undying bond between Eddie Sweat and Secretariat while focusing on the political and racial challenges in the 1970s.
The Horse God Built is a heartwarming coming of ages that shows the impactful bond between a horse and their groom. Scanlan is successfully able to depict this bond and make you feel like you are right there with Eddie and Secretariat. It is incredible how a book can make someone feel like they are on the side of the racetrack at Churchill Downs with Eddie cheering Secretariat on screaming “Come on Brig Red!!!” at the top of their lungs. While Scanlan is very successful with immersing the reader into the story, he spends too much time discussing small irrelevant details. Some chapters felt like they were dragged on and I was never going to get to the last page. One chapter itself just discussed the details of every single person who attended a horse racing banquet that Eddie Sweat also attended. These characters were never seen or mentioned again and had no significance to the plot. Sometimes it even felt like the story of Secretariat was lost while Scanlan tried to focus on the political and racial hardships Eddie faced. These hardships are important and add depth to the book but it felt like Scanlan was focused more on portraying his opinions on these topics instead of following the story of Secretariat’s success. Overall, The Horse God Built is a book that captures the undying bond between Eddie Sweat and Secretariat while focusing on the political and racial challenges in the 1970s.
July 17, 2025
This is the type of book that reminds me that I am my mother's daughter. I love horse books, just like her.
Secretariat was a shining moment for a country in turmoil. Watergate, impeachment, Vietnam etc...the first animal to be voted best athlete. The book starts with the most important person in Secretariat's life: groom Ed "Shorty" Sweat. For two years, Shorty took every step with Secretariat: standing next to him in a plane, sleeping in the barn with him every night on the road, helping prepare for warm-ups, cool-downs, races, and recovery. Shorty and Secretariat had a shorthand with each other. Others noticed that this relationship was on another level. Shorty, the sixth of nine children, son of a sharecropper, started working in barns at a young age. Success didn't come without Shorty, but he benefited the least from it.
The book aims to focus on Shorty, but he gets somewhat lost in the middle. Every line devoted to Shorty was the best part. The fandom that followed Secretariat into retirement and death is astounding.
Random facts: Very few horses get a full body burial. Secretariat is one. Second-tier racehorses have their feet, head, and heart buried, with the rest rendered per usual.
There is an abundance of race horses' potential because of excessive breeding. Secretariat sired over 650 foals. None amounted to his records or legacy. 9,000 horses in the US are slaughtered every year. Bottom line is race horses like Secretariat and Seabiscuit are like Michael Phelps. One-of-a-kind bodies made to run. On the surface, they appeared to have nothing to offer except for their competitive spirit.
Secretariat was a shining moment for a country in turmoil. Watergate, impeachment, Vietnam etc...the first animal to be voted best athlete. The book starts with the most important person in Secretariat's life: groom Ed "Shorty" Sweat. For two years, Shorty took every step with Secretariat: standing next to him in a plane, sleeping in the barn with him every night on the road, helping prepare for warm-ups, cool-downs, races, and recovery. Shorty and Secretariat had a shorthand with each other. Others noticed that this relationship was on another level. Shorty, the sixth of nine children, son of a sharecropper, started working in barns at a young age. Success didn't come without Shorty, but he benefited the least from it.
The book aims to focus on Shorty, but he gets somewhat lost in the middle. Every line devoted to Shorty was the best part. The fandom that followed Secretariat into retirement and death is astounding.
Random facts: Very few horses get a full body burial. Secretariat is one. Second-tier racehorses have their feet, head, and heart buried, with the rest rendered per usual.
There is an abundance of race horses' potential because of excessive breeding. Secretariat sired over 650 foals. None amounted to his records or legacy. 9,000 horses in the US are slaughtered every year. Bottom line is race horses like Secretariat and Seabiscuit are like Michael Phelps. One-of-a-kind bodies made to run. On the surface, they appeared to have nothing to offer except for their competitive spirit.
June 3, 2020
This book is about more than a truly great race horse. Yes, it is about Secretariat....arguably the greatest race horse of all time (and if you haven't before, go online right now and watch the video of his Belmont Stakes win in 1973). But it is also about Eddie Sweat, the African American groom who loved him and took meticulous care of him during his glory days in the 1970s. Throughout the book, the author weaves together information about the horse, his various riders, owner, and a wide variety of general horse and Thoroughbred racing information. Scanlan's research is thorough, as he obviously has spent much time learning about the life of Eddie Sweat, and what this particular man (and grooms in general) meant to the success of "Big Red".
Quote by the author in the last chapter: "A groom's-eye view of a champion horse: the Thoroughbred race track as seen from the lowest rung on the ladder -- that's a short, fair description of the book in hand......., but it was not the book I set out to write. In the beginning, my focus was on Secretariat. But as I researched and wrote over the years......I became as enamored of the horse's groom as I did of the horse himself." Eddie Sweat is an inspiration, and this book is a testimony of the fact that he deserves more recognition than he has ever gotten over the years.
The audio version was well done. I did have to find a hardback copy after listening to it though, to see the pictures, as well as being able to find the other books Scanlan mentions from his research.
Quote by the author in the last chapter: "A groom's-eye view of a champion horse: the Thoroughbred race track as seen from the lowest rung on the ladder -- that's a short, fair description of the book in hand......., but it was not the book I set out to write. In the beginning, my focus was on Secretariat. But as I researched and wrote over the years......I became as enamored of the horse's groom as I did of the horse himself." Eddie Sweat is an inspiration, and this book is a testimony of the fact that he deserves more recognition than he has ever gotten over the years.
The audio version was well done. I did have to find a hardback copy after listening to it though, to see the pictures, as well as being able to find the other books Scanlan mentions from his research.
April 22, 2023
This is the first of three book I wanted to read about Secretariat. Based on the book's title, I was looking for an in-depth discussion on the horse itself. At first the book seemed too focused on life along the backstretch of the track. Then I begin to appreciate the dedication and love that the groom Eddie Sweat had for Secretariat. This man spent more time with Secretariat then any other person. Yet he was always in the background, taking care of the horse's basic needs and receiving the least amount of compensation and fame.
The author provide insight to the love and friendship that grooms and horses can have for one another, and Eddie Sweat was considered the Grooms Groom (one of the best that ever lived). His gentleness and calming effect allowed the horse to feel at ease, confident and focus on racing. It
The author addresses what drives people in the racing industry, at all levels from the grooms to the trainers and jockeys, to the owners - hope and faith that they will work with the next great Triple Crown winner. I love that the author mentioned Seattle Slew toward the end of the book, comparing the horses and the grooms. I look forward to reading the other two books about this magnificent thoroughbred.
The author provide insight to the love and friendship that grooms and horses can have for one another, and Eddie Sweat was considered the Grooms Groom (one of the best that ever lived). His gentleness and calming effect allowed the horse to feel at ease, confident and focus on racing. It
The author addresses what drives people in the racing industry, at all levels from the grooms to the trainers and jockeys, to the owners - hope and faith that they will work with the next great Triple Crown winner. I love that the author mentioned Seattle Slew toward the end of the book, comparing the horses and the grooms. I look forward to reading the other two books about this magnificent thoroughbred.
August 7, 2021
This is basically the story of Eddie Sweat, the faithful and ever present groom/companion to Triple Crown winner Secretariat and Derby/Belmont winner and Hall of Famer Riva Ridge. Basically, the story of how grooms and the heart and soul AND UNAPPRECIATED AND OVERLOOKED life blood of the thoroughbred game. And in Eddie's case, ultimately forgotten. Years after this book was written horse racing has received some big public black eyes: banned drugs even in the Kentucky Derby, a Derby winning trainer (for a few minutes) and other trainers under Federal indictment for drug use in their horses, and greedy track owners who seem intent on shutting down storied tracks, i.e. Arlington, rather than honoring the legacy of racing. Ironically, though Seattle Slew's owners were often criticized in the press back in their day, their treatment and consideration for Slew's faithful stud groom is an example to be followed. I still thrill to William Nack's classic on Secretariat, the best horse racing book ever and one of the best books still I have ever read. While this dies not rise to that level, it is a sobering bookend to the story of Secretariat.
February 2, 2023
Let’s be clear… I like horses from a distance. I am not super comfortable around horses. I find it slightly hilarious that I am even reading this book. But it’s been on my to-read list since forever after I saw a movie on Secretariat.
The book goes into great detail about everything Secretariat… and I loved it. I even watched a video of the Belmont race that made him a Triple Crown winner and I was out of breath and in tears at the same time. He was a simply magnificent horse. You know when you’ve see magnificence.
His Groom, Eddie Sweat is mentioned a lot… and I don’t necessarily have an issue with that. He was pivotal in helping to make Secretariat a winner. What bothered me is it seemed a bit strayed from the title of the book as well as the picture on the front (Ron Turcotte, the jockey, is mentioned quite a bit, but it’s not a book about him… so why is he on the front?)
Overall, I found the book delightful and interesting. I know a lot more about horse racing now than I ever thought I should need to know.
Final thought…Are there changes that need to be made on “shed row” for the grooms, exercise riders, etc? Absolutely. Are there easy answers? Probably not.
The book goes into great detail about everything Secretariat… and I loved it. I even watched a video of the Belmont race that made him a Triple Crown winner and I was out of breath and in tears at the same time. He was a simply magnificent horse. You know when you’ve see magnificence.
His Groom, Eddie Sweat is mentioned a lot… and I don’t necessarily have an issue with that. He was pivotal in helping to make Secretariat a winner. What bothered me is it seemed a bit strayed from the title of the book as well as the picture on the front (Ron Turcotte, the jockey, is mentioned quite a bit, but it’s not a book about him… so why is he on the front?)
Overall, I found the book delightful and interesting. I know a lot more about horse racing now than I ever thought I should need to know.
Final thought…Are there changes that need to be made on “shed row” for the grooms, exercise riders, etc? Absolutely. Are there easy answers? Probably not.
September 21, 2025
Secretariat was foaled in 1970 in Virginia. His sire was Bold Ruler, a leading stallion of the time. Secretariat would quickly become a crowd favorite, winning many stakes races. He would also be the 1973 Triple Crown winner. Once he retired from racing, he had a promising stud career, producing several earners. He also produced some top broodmares. Secretariat developed laminitis and was euthanized at Claiborne Farm in 1989. He has many statues and memorials in his honor across the country, and is considered to be number 2 on the list of the top 100 racehorses of the 20th century.
While this book provided a wonderful history of Secretariat's life and career, it did focus heavily on his groom, Eddie Sweat. Sweat was born in South Carolina in 1939. He was offered a job by trainer Lucien Laurin. He loved Secretariat and took wonderful care of him. It takes a team of people to care for a racehorse, and Sweat loved his job and loved his horses. I loved learning more about him, and encourage anyone who is a racing fan to do the same.
While this book provided a wonderful history of Secretariat's life and career, it did focus heavily on his groom, Eddie Sweat. Sweat was born in South Carolina in 1939. He was offered a job by trainer Lucien Laurin. He loved Secretariat and took wonderful care of him. It takes a team of people to care for a racehorse, and Sweat loved his job and loved his horses. I loved learning more about him, and encourage anyone who is a racing fan to do the same.
August 1, 2021
Emotionally beautiful narrative about Secretariat and the lives that were touched my his magnificence. Scanlan’s narrative is beautiful, florid, and emotional — using just the right words to convey an individual and concept that he finds indescribable.
The only comments would be that it can occasionally get a bit repetitive and the way that the novel is organized can get a bit hectic as it is not in chronological order. We are given pieces of the story and we have to arrange the story ourselves. I think that this style is intentional because, as Scanlan says, the great and final truth is unclear, so the only way to best tell this story is to pass along all the different narratives and let them run and interlace with one another.
Beautiful story that captures all realities and perspectives of those touched by Secretariat.
The only comments would be that it can occasionally get a bit repetitive and the way that the novel is organized can get a bit hectic as it is not in chronological order. We are given pieces of the story and we have to arrange the story ourselves. I think that this style is intentional because, as Scanlan says, the great and final truth is unclear, so the only way to best tell this story is to pass along all the different narratives and let them run and interlace with one another.
Beautiful story that captures all realities and perspectives of those touched by Secretariat.
June 25, 2024
I love the story of Secretariat so I had high expectations for this book. Unfortunately, I was disappointed and didn't finish it. The book read like a documentary with countless quotes from every person who came in contact with Secretariat or Eddie Sweat. After a while, it became dry and uninteresting. The title is misleading since the book focuses on Secretariat's groom, Edward Sweat, and doesn't do the unbelievable race wins justice when they're mentioned.
I knew the book was about Eddie Sweat going in, but I hoped for more about him and his work with Secretariat. Instead, the author quotes people who remembered him but didn't paint a picture of the man. It just told of the man, didn't show him. Toward the end of the book, everyone was saying the same thing. It became repetitive to the point that I gave up on reading it.
I knew the book was about Eddie Sweat going in, but I hoped for more about him and his work with Secretariat. Instead, the author quotes people who remembered him but didn't paint a picture of the man. It just told of the man, didn't show him. Toward the end of the book, everyone was saying the same thing. It became repetitive to the point that I gave up on reading it.
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